


Balled Up

by Cosmic_Biscuit



Category: Tiger & Bunny
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Mob, Drama, M/M, Mental Instability, Vignette, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-04
Updated: 2012-06-04
Packaged: 2017-11-06 19:12:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/422213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cosmic_Biscuit/pseuds/Cosmic_Biscuit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been three years, but some things don't fade easy, and Kotetsu picks up the pieces when old ghosts aren't left alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Balled Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [panda-hiiro](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=panda-hiiro).



Lady Luck usually never even gave him the correct time of day, but Kotetsu figured he must have done _something_ to get in her good graces for a change. There was really no other explanation for why they didn’t cross a single soul on their way home on a Friday night. Even so, he didn’t let out the breath he’d been holding for thirty blocks and five stories until the apartment door closed behind them, sealing them off from the outside world. Drawing air back into his lungs brought smoke with it, and he coughed before remembering that oh, right, he still had a cigarette in his mouth, and spat it on the floor to grind under his shoe.

Barnaby said nothing as he slowly peeled off his soaked clothing; didn’t even grouch at him for the ashy little mess he'd just left. The tension lines in his body and the mechanical way he moved spoke volumes instead, and Kotetsu kept his mouth shut until the blond vanished into the bathroom.

He went to the kitchen himself, finding one of the assorted bottles that had come with them when they’d moved in. His hands were shaking a little as he uncapped it and took a swig before hiding it again and turning to go to the bedroom. His own clothes were passable; filthy from getting tossed into a pile of dusty old ropes, sure, but nothing compared to the gore his partner was probably attacking with bleach right now. They’d do. Turning away from the mirror and grabbing a fresh pack of smokes out of the bedside table drawer, he headed back out.

===

The assignment should have been simple enough. Their boss lady liked keeping Barnaby as the accountant he’d gone to school to be, not the killer he’d been forced to become, and had sent them to collect and trade over some nicely doctored books with one of her colleagues. But the bastard they were supposed to meet had decided to try and carve himself out a better deal, and had brought along Martinez and his bit of fluff as incentive.

Martinez, who had a weird habit of knowing exactly all the wrong buttons to push when it came to people and of not knowing when to quit.

Kotetsu had a habit of pushing people’s buttons, too. But there was one in particular of Barnaby’s, hidden way down deep under all the fastidiousness and known neuroses, that he didn’t dare touch.

Martinez had.

And Barnaby had walked out of that warehouse with a piece of pipe in hand, what was left of Martinez all over his clothes, and Kriem’s screams echoing behind them.

===

_The Firebird_ was busy as usual as he slipped in, showgirls flitting to and fro between the stage and costume changes. A few who knew him tossed a wink or blew a kiss, and he returned with a wave as he headed for the hidden staircase near the backstage door. 

The gin mill was no less busy, though the only feathers in sight were the ones draped over the shoulders of the theater’s owner as he leaned against one of the counters. “Hey, pretty bird,” Kotetsu called teasingly. “Got any specials tonight?”

“For you, old tiger? Always.”

He’d been a running errand boy for the old opera performers turned opium dealers when Nathan had been learning their tricks of trade. Nathan was one of the best suppliers in the city and had the prettiest girls on stage, and for that, he was usually forgiven his… eccentricities… by the gangs. The local ones, anyway. There were always some out of town saps who thought they’d prove what tough guys they were by picking on the fella in pink. That was usually how they found out Nathan supplied _weapons_ as well as hooch.

The latter was what he was looking for tonight, and he scrutinized the bottles Nathan handed him, trying to guess at what would work best.

“Picky this evening.”

“Bad night. Open window night,” he clarified at a single raised eyebrow, and Nathan simply shook his head, needing no further explanation than that. “What’s this one?”

“Ooh, that’s a personal make of mine. Honey and pear rum.”

It was expensive, too, but he didn’t care. Necessity was necessity, and it was perfect for what he had in mind. “I’ll take it,” he said, and reached to dig his wallet out of his pocket, but an elegantly manicured hand stopped him.

“We’ll tab it for this time. Go put him back together.”

Hell, he wasn’t gonna argue with that. Accepting the bottle once it was wrapped enough to be inconspicuous, he tipped his hat to his friend and went back up to the street.

===

He didn’t hear water running when he got back to the apartment, and the windows were already open to air out the cleaning smell. Kotetsu cautiously poked his head into their bedroom to find Barnaby sitting on the edge of the bed and staring listlessly at nothing, clad in only an open pajama shirt and underwear. 

Not good. 

He took the rum to the kitchen and fetched a glass to set up a Pickford, then took the drink back to the bedroom. “Hey.”

Barnaby still made no response, so Kotetsu took a mouthful of the liquor and juice and set the glass aside, then tugged his head back by the hair and kissed him hard. Even with the spike of the alcohol, the drink’s sweetness made the blond shudder as he swallowed it. When Barnaby made a muffled noise, Kotetsu finally pulled back and handed him the glass.

He’d never admit it, but he’d catalogued all of his partner’s strange little tics. Especially the ones that used to not be allowed, like an aching fondness for sweet things. That one in particular had proven effective in dragging him back from the dark places nights like tonight caused.

Kotetsu watched as long fingers raked blond curls out of Barnaby’s face, sweeping them back into a messier approximation of the straight-laced style his partner usually wore. Then Barnaby carefully adjusted his glasses, and just like that, his armor had resettled itself around him, even without the layers of clothing to make the look complete. When he raised his head, his eyes had cleared of the cloudy, dead look, and Kotetsu couldn’t help a weak noise of relief. “You back?”

“I think so. I apologize, my behavior earlier was quite unnecessary.”

Kotetsu just snorted and motioned for him to finish off the drink.

As he headed to the bathroom for his own shower, however, he silently hoped, not for the first time, that their old boss had taken a very long time to drown under the harbor docks.


End file.
